www.monumentaustralia.org.au

Corporal Walter Brown V.C. Print Page Print this page

13-February-2014
13-February-2014

Photographs supplied by Arthur Garland

The Plaque commemorates Victoria Cross recipient Corporal Walter Brown (1885-1942).

In July 1918 at Villers-Bretonneux, in France, Corporal Brown on his own initiative, crept out along a trench and made a dash towards the enemy post. He came under fire from another trench and was forced to take cover. He then dashed forward with a Mills grenade in his band and stood at the door of the dugout and called upon the enemy to surrender. One of the enemy rushed out and Corporal Brown knocked him down with his fist after a short scuffle.

An officer and 11 other soldiers surrendered and Corporal Brown bought the prisoners back to the Australian line while coming under heavy enemy fire. He was wounded twice in the month after the VC action and was discharged from the army in 1920 with the rank of sergeant.

He lied about his age in World War Two claiming he was 39 when he joined up in 1940. He was actually 54. he was part of the 8th division which was sent to Malaya in 1941. When the Australians were ordered to surrender to the Japanese in Singapore, Brown’s last recorded words were “No surrender for me”. His body was never recovered

Location

Address:8 Pioneer Avenue, New Norfolk Primary School, New Norfolk, 7140
State:TAS
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -42.779294
Long: 147.063406
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
View Google Map

Details

Monument Type:Plaque
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Military

Dedication

Front Inscription
Cpl. Walter Ernest Brown
20th. Aust Inf Bn, A.I.F.
Born : 2nd. July 1885
New Norfolk, Tasmania
Awarded VC : 6th. July 1918
At Villers-Bretonneux, France
Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au